Quick hits and notes from NC State Wolfpack basketball’s 86-76 loss at UNC inside of Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C.

When the teams went to their respective benches at the under-4 media timeout (3:47 left in the first half), it was tight affair with UNC holding the 33-31 advantage. From that point forward, the Heels would outscore NC State 10-2 to end the half in a run that proved to be the difference in the game.

That spurt was sparked by UNC freshman big man Day'Ron Sharpe, who first made a layup and then scored impressively on a two-handed follow slam off a missed three-pointer by freshman guard Kerwin Walton.

For the second time NC State played UNC this year, the Pack held ACC Preseason Player of the Year Garrison Brooks in check. Brooks fouled out with just four points and four rebounds. He had 10 points on 5-of-14 shooting and seven rebounds when NC State beat UNC on Dec. 22.

In that game, Sharpe was not a big factor off the bench. He had six points and seven rebounds in 14 minutes.

This time, Sharpe picked up the production for Brooks. The rookie finished with 16 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the field and added a game-high 10 rebounds for the double-double.

For the seventh time this year in 11 games, head coach Kevin Keatts went with a different starting lineup.

That was probably, at least partially, influenced by redshirt sophomore center Manny Bates making his return from a sprained ankle. Keatts had called Bates a game-time decision, but Bates confessed he knew he was playing after practice on Friday.

Nevertheless, Keatts brought Bates off the bench for the first time this year. Fifth-year senior DJ Funderburk started in the front court with junior Jericole Hellems.

Redshirt junior guard Thomas Allen returned to the lineup after being a reserve the last two contests, and senior guard Braxton Beverly also was back after coming off the bench at Florida State. They were joined by fifth-year senior Devon Daniels.

Perhaps most interesting was freshman guard Shakeel Moore only playing four minutes, all in the first half. Keatts chalked it up to Moore struggling in recent practices.

The calendar year of 2021 has not been kind for NC State athletics:

• Its shorthanded football team lost a bowl game to Kentucky.

• Its potential national championship contender in women's basketball has been sidelined by an extensive pause related to COVID-19. It is set to make its first appearance since December on Sunday against Virginia Tech.

• The men's basketball team is now winless in four games, having lost a pair of contests due to its own COVID-19 issues.

The last time NC State went winless in the month of January was 1967, although the 1997 squad's only win in the month came against Texas-Pan American and it otherwise went 0-7 in ACC games.

NC State is scheduled to have two more ACC games this month: Wednesday at home against Wake Forest at 8 p.m. on the ACC Network and Sunday, Jan. 31 at Syracuse at 6 p.m. on ACC Network.

It was not as bad as Florida State shooting a staggering 70.7 percent on NC State, but UNC still made 54.4 percent of its field goal attempts. It is the first time this year the Heels made more than 50.0 percent in a game.

The first time the two teams met, UNC shot 44.3 percent, which is its sixth best percentage in its 15 games. Boston College's 47.4 percent vs. the Pack is the Eagles' fourth highest in its 13 contests.

Clemson shot 44.9 percent in an overtime victory over State, and that was the Tigers' fifth best percentage in 12 games. Miami's 45.8 percent was its fifth highest in 13 contests.

Here we keep track of the scoring between each official timeout to help give an idea of the game flow:

First half

20:00-14:42: UNC 10, NC State 9

14:42-9:43: UNC 12, NC State 11

9:43-6:33: UNC 7, NC State 6

6:33-3:47: NC State 5, UNC 4

3:47-Halftime: UNC 10, NC State 2

Second half

20:00-15:03: NC State 12, UNC 10

15:03-11:58: UNC 8, NC State 6

11:58-7:53: UNC 6, NC State 4

7:53-3:53: NC State 14, UNC 8

3:53-Final: UNC 11, NC State 7

Here is the plus/minus for each player (the difference between points scored while they were on the floor) on NCSU:

• Freshman forward Jaylon Gibson: -2 (2)

• Allen: -3 (28)

• Hellems: -4 (23)

• Moore: -4 (4)

• Beverly: -6 (12)

• Funderburk: -6 (24)

• Freshman guard Cam Hayes: -8 (16)

• Bates: -8 (30)

• Daniels: -9 (39)

Using Hollinger’s measure of productivity, players are graded 1-40 with 10 being average for an NBA player.

Daniels — 15.8

Bates — 14.1

Beverly — 11.4

Funderburk — 8.9

Hellems — 6.8

Allen — 2.9

Gibson — 0.0

Moore — -1.4

Hayes — -1.9

NC State falls to 6-5 overall and 2-4 in the ACC while UNC is 10-5 and 5-3. The Wolfpack is now 1-4 away from home (0-4 in true road games) and 3-2 in day games (tipoff before 6 p.m.). NC State is 1-2 in weekend contests.

This game was televised on ACC Network. Throughout the year we will keep track of the Pack's record on the different channels:

• ESPNU: 1-0

• ACC Network: 4-2

• RSN: 1-2

• ESPN: 1-0

We will also track NC State’s records by month:

• November: 2-0

• December: 4-1

• January: 0-4

• UNC won the points in the paint, 48-40.

• NC State had a slight edge in fast-break points, 12-11.

• The Heels bench outscored NC State's reserves, 38-12.

• NC State won the turnover margin, 13-11, and that translated to the advantage in points off turnovers, 17-10.

• UNC won on the boards 44-30 in overall rebounds and 14-7 on the offensive glass. That led to a 17-12 second-chance points win for the Heels.

• Defensively, NC State had nine blocks and 10 steals. UNC had four blocks and added six steals.

• NC State’s largest lead was three points and it led for 2:32. UNC's largest advantage was 14 points and it led for 36:05.

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